LG Poll: APC Members Oppose Imposition Of Candidates In Ibadan

Members of the All Progressives Congress including loyalists of a former Governor of Oyo State, late Lamidi Adesina yesterday protested against alleged imposition of candidates for the local government polls slated for May 12 this year.

The aggrieved party members said despite heated criticism that trailed earlier attempts by the governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi to hand pick candidates who are members of his group within the party for the council election, the governor was still insistent on imposing his cronies as candidates for the polls.

The group led by their spokespersons, Mr. Kamardeen Kayode Obisesan from Egbeda Local Government said, though the governor had said it several times that the party in the state remained indivisible, they found out that over 90 per cent of his appointments so far favoured his group known as SENACO meaning Senator Abiola Ajimobi Campaign Organisation.

He said, “We heard that the Governor for complicity and orchestrated move had perfected plans to impose his cronies and his group which has been the only group ravishly enjoying the real dividend of democracy in Oyo state since the inception of this administration from May 2011 to date.

“Moreover, information at our disposal confirmed that names of would-be candidates for the chairmanship and councillorship in the 33 local government councils, local council development areas have been secretly compiled and approved without any conduct of primaries just waiting for the submission to OYSIEC,” he alleged.

According to him, this action is devoid of internal democracy and unacceptable.

“Therefore, the APC concerned group in the 11 local government councils in Ibadanland resolutely plead that the state executive should forthwith release the timetable for the forthcoming local government election and equally that the party primaries be conducted in accordance with article 20 of the party’s constitution.”

The aggrieved APC members who were mainly aspirants who had registered their intentions to contest the council poll with the party insisted that they would never allow what they described as “action that is capable of destabilizing the party” but would fight the injustice to a logical conclusion.